Escobar Turned Down Chance To Stay

July 3, 1994|By ELLIOTT ALMOND Los Angeles Times

DALLAS — Andres Escobar could have been here this weekend instead of in his violent hometown of Medellin, Colombia.

The popular soccer player, who was murdered early Saturday, was asked to be a color commentator for Carcol radio, Colombia's premier network, after his team failed to advance to the second round of the World Cup.

"We invited him to stay," said Gusta Pombo, a network executive.

Escobar considered the assignment but decided against it.

"He said, `No, I want to go back home,'" Pombo said.

Escobar, who deflected the ball into his goal in a 2-1 loss to the United States on June22 at the Rose Bowl, was shot 12 times outside a restaurant in Medellin in retaliation for the play.

A Colombian television crew abandoned its gear and wandered aimlessly through the press center outside the stadium, its appetite for soccer suddenly gone.

"I just found out and I am speechless," producer Marden David said. "He was 27 and we were friends since he was 19. Andres was the nicest, most decent man on the team, and the most disciplined; the last one you'd think could be..."

An own goal like the one Escobar scored is every defender's worst nightmare - but sooner or later it happens to every defender.

"The murder has had a very profound impact on all of us," Spanish defender Franscico Camarasa said. "We are still in shock. We didn't know Escobar personally, but he was of our world. His loss hurts us all."